President Duterte gave the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the benefit of the doubt on the claim that it printed the ballots for the 2022 elections without the presence of witnesses, saying he does not believe that the poll body would disregard such a rule.
Duterte made the statement after lawmakers, a poll watchdog, and information technology experts expressed concern over the supposed lack of transparency in the printing of the ballots and configuration of Secure Digital (SD) cards that will be used in the May 9 elections.
In an interview with his friend Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the President said he does not believe the recent allegations against the Comelec.
"I do not believe it because itong mga --- itong Comelec naman ang mga tao diyan ay kilala ko lahat (because I know everybody at Comelec)," he said Saturday, March 12.
"I think the ballot is being printed Bureau of Printing. At palagay ko naman (I believe), if there is a requirement that there should be witnesses, I am sure... Wala akong rason narinig na (I've not heard that) this particular rule has been disregarded. I have not yet heard of it," he added.
Despite this, the President said that he will try to ask around if this, indeed, happen.
On Wednesday, March 9, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and other resource persons during a Senate hearing said they have not been allowed inside the National Printing Office and the Comelec warehouse in Sta. Rosa, Laguna to observe the printing, unlike in previous elections.
The Comelec said there was no definite denial of any request to observe the printing but noted that observations were postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions imposed when the requests came in.
Live streaming of the printing is also in the works.
Comelec Printing Committee Vice Chairperson Helen Aguila-Flores, however, said that 66.4 percent of the ballots have already been printed.